As with the first Masada event in 2010, for which the whole site was built in the rocky desert terrain, lighting for the production was created by Avi Yona Bueno (Bambi), with the majority of the performance lighting equipment supplied by UK based rental company HSL, including all the Robes.
Technical production for the whole site was co-ordinated by Tel Aviv based The Design Group, production managed by Eyal Lavee working closely with Elad Mainz and Eviatar Banayan.
Robe was again specified - with 96 of Robe's most powerful 2500 series units chosen because of the long throw distances of up to 80m and their suitability for the desert conditions. "They are great fixtures and have been brilliant throughout," stated HSL's crew chief Ian Stevens.
The lights were rigged and in position for over four weeks by the time the last show finished, during which time the Robes were virtually trouble free. Eighty of the 96 ColorSpot 2500E ATs were rigged on two massive side stage left and right trussing gantries, with 16 on the front of house gantry at the back of the bleacher seating.
20 Robe Robin 600 LEDWashes were used to light four regal looking sphinx set pieces stage left and right - some of the fixtures were recessed into parts of the set itself.
12 Robe RedWash 3-192s were rigged beneath the stage and set. These were utilised as strong back light sources for the entrance/exit door below the 12m high Pharaoh's head, which was the main set centrepiece, and also under a large hydraulic trap that opened during the tomb scene, complete with apocalyptic blast of super bright light.
The ColorSpot 2500E ATs were fitted with special custom reflectors which were developed by Robe specially for last year's Nabucco production at Masada, which boost the light output by a further 30%.
Verdi's Aida at Masada was directed by Charles Roubaud and conducted by Daniel Oren. It ran for 10 nights as the principal show of a wider festival entertainment programme, and was enjoyed by 75,000 people, once again receiving massive critical acclaim.
(Jim Evans)
